Industry experts' warning for aspiring personal trainers

On Friday we brought you the story of Fitlink, a fitness education provider that had stopped operating because of a family ownership battle.

That left 1000 students out of pocket and unsure whether they can complete their qualification.

On Sunday Newshub spoke with industry leaders who had a warning for both students and consumers.

More than 120,000 New Zealanders will use a personal trainer this year, but around one-third of the country's 4000 trainers aren't registered.

Experts say if you want the real deal, use a trainer who's recognised by the Register of Exercise Professionals.

"All industry professionals who register will have an initial qualification, which means they will be qualified to deliver safe and effective exercise to New Zealanders," says Stephen Gascal at the Register of Exercise Professionals.

Newshub decided to find out more about the fitness industry after education provider Fitlink closed temporarily, raising questions about the operation.

The fitness industry in New Zealand has grown at more than five percent annually for the past five years. But there's also been an increase in education companies running poor quality training courses that aren't industry recognised.

One website was selling a two-hour-long online personal training course and qualification for just $59.

"People were misled, thinking, I would get a certificate in PTing," says Mr Gascal. "The problem is no employer in New Zealand would recognise it and it does not mean you should be a PT - in fact far from it. Please don't do it."

But it's not all bad news; employment opportunities are rife in the industry, although a recognised qualification may set you back a little more than $59.